“This book began as an idea about six years ago,” he said. “Then, through help from an ONU faculty grant, I began working on it in earnest three years ago.”

The result is a fascinating introduction to the geological background of 28 Illinois park areas and other sites. Unlike other publications, this book focuses on providing the necessary background to understand the origins of the natural features in parks and on interstate highways leading to them.

This is an excellent resource — highlighting geologically significant details — to keep handy in a vehicle as an enhancement for travels across the Prairie State.

“Most books are meant to be read beginning to end. This is not one of those books,” said Christopher Stohr, Ph.D., R.G., C.E.G. of the Illinois State Geological Survey, Prairie Research Institute, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Dr. Reams's narrative is a geologist explaining the landforms and features in detail, but with sparing jargon and use of special terms. He has a talent for distilling the complex and excites the reader about rocks and rivers — science!"

Dr. Reams has taught geology in Illinois for more than four decades and is currently a geology professor at Olivet. His passion is to help others understand the natural world and our responsibility to be proper stewards of the only planet most of us will likely ever occupy. His specializations include the study of caves and sedimentary rocks, as well as geological education. He has numerous professional presentations and publications.

His bachelor’s degrees in zoology and geology, and master’s degree in geology, are all from the University of Kansas at Lawrence. His Ph.D. in geology is from Washington University, St. Louis, Mo.

He and his wife, Carol, believe that the best geologists are those who have seen the most rocks. They have traveled widely in the United States and abroad to do just that. They also volunteer at retirement centers and do premarital counseling together.